Calculating machine



May 8, 1934.- c. M. F. FRHDEN 5 CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR Aw ATTORNEYS y 1934- c. M. F. FRIDEN CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR BY Car/ FH'c/err ATTORNEQS y 8, 1934. c. M. F. FRIDEN 1,957,950

CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1922- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR A A TTORNEYS Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Marchant Calculating Machine Company,

Emeryville, Calif., a corporation of California Original application February 27, 1922, Serial No.

539,422. Divided and this application Novemher 2, 1927, Serial No. 230,453

13 Claims. (Cl. 235-79) This applicationis a division of my application Serial Number 539,422 filed in the Patent Oifice on February 27, 1922.

The invention relates to calculating machines adapted to perform problems in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and relates particularly to means for preventing the accidental introduction of improper values into the actuator.

An object of the invention is to provide a calculating machine in which the'elements representing the introduced values are locked in position by the initial operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a calculating machine in which the adjustable elements may be optionally released at the end of one cycle of operation of the actuator or locked in position during a plurality of cycles of operation of the actuator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a calculating machine in which the locking of the adjustable elements of the actuator is effected by the initial movement of the actuator from full cycle position.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description, where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and form ing part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine taken through the actuator and showing the means for moving the adjustable members of the actuator to adjusted position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the adjustable value selecting elements.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the register actuating unit.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the machine with the case removed.

Figure 5 is a detail showing the means for locking the adjusted elements in adjusted position.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, vertical section thru the machine showing the means for controlling the operation of the selecting element lock.

The invention is shown embodied in a calculating machine of the type employing keys by which the values are introduced into the machine. Depression of a key, introduces a value corresponding to the numeral on the key, into a rotatable actuator within the machine, rotation c0 of the actuator being eifected by a handle which projects to the outside of the machine. The values introduced into the actuator are transmitted, on the rotation of the actuator, to the figure discs of the registering mechanism, which, 5 for the purpose of making the direct action of the selected values on the figure discs of highest value possible, is disposed in parallel displaceable relation to the value selecting mechanism axis.

The calculating machine shown in the drawmgs and which embodies the present invention, comprises a suitable base 2 having side plates 3--4, between which the selecting and registering mechanism devices are arranged. These devices include a registering mechanism arranged on a longitudinally displaceable carriage, a registering mechanism actuator which upon rotation, causes the values entered therein to become effective in operating the registering mechanism, keys for entering the selected values into the actuator, an indicator for disclosing the values entered into the actuator, an indicator for disclosing the ca1-- culation performed or being performed and other devices for controlling the actuation of the keys, selecting mechanism, counting devices and other instrumentalities. The machine contains all of the elements necessary to quickly and accurately perform the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. A complete description of the entire machine will be found in my copending application above referred to. In the present illustration, values are introduced into the machine by the depression of keys 5, the keys being arranged in rows numbered from 1 to 9 consecutively. Depression of a key causes the introduction of the value corresponding to the numeral on the key, into the actuator.

Arranged below each row of keys in position to be contacted with and depressed thereby, is a horizontal bar 21 mounted on links 22 so that, as it is depressed, it remains parallel to its normal position. The bar is normally held in its raised position by a spring 23 engaging a link 22. The shanks of the keys are of different lengths 105 and the lower ends of the shanks are spaced at progressively varying distances from the bar 21, so that the displacement of the bar is proportional to the value of the key.

Mounted on a transverse shaft 25, disposed at no the rear of the machine, are a plurality of levers 26, there being one lever 26 for each key section. Each lever 26 is provided with a horizontal arm connected to the end of the lever 21 and with a vertical arm connected with the value selecting element on the actuator. The vertical arm 29 is provided on its upper end with a rack 31 concentric with the shaft 25, which is in engagement with a gear 32 on the value selecting element. Depression of a key in one section thus causes angular displacement of the selecting elements associated with the section, to a position corresponding to the numerical value of the depressed key.

The actuator is mounted on the shaft 33, supported in the side plate 4. and the intermediate plate 34. The actuator in the present instance, comprises nine counting mechanism actuating wheels 35, secured to the shaft 33 and nine value selecting elements 36 loose on the shaft, a wheel 35 and an element 36 being combined to form an actuating unit. The actuator also comprises additional wheels 37 provided with tens carrying pins, and selecting element locking means, as will hereinafter be described. The actuator is rotatable in either direction from an initial position through a complete revolution back to initial position, by a crank handle 38 extending to the outside of the casing, the crank shaft being provided on its end with the gear 39 meshing with a gear 41 on the actuator shaft. The handle is positioned in initial or full cycle position by the spring pressed retractile pin 42 attached to the handle and seating in a hollow boss 43 on the casing. By pulling out the handle, the pin is removed from the boss so that the handle may be moved to rotate the actuator. v

Each actuating unit comprises a registering mechanism actuating wheel and an associated value selecting element. The actuating wheel comprises a disc or wheel carrying a diametrically disposed slide or member 45, seated in the wheel so thatit may be slid diametrically thereof. The slide is provided on one end with an actuating face provided with nine teeth 46, the

teeth being arranged on a circular arc, which in the projected position of the slide is concentric with the axis of the wheel and having the same pitch as the teeth of the intermediate wheel of the counting mechanism. The slide is held in the groove in the wheel by the ring 47 secured to the wheel and is normally held in retracted position with the teeth 46 lying within the periphery of the wheel. The function of the selecting element is to project the slide, at the proper time during the rotation of the actuator, to bring the selected number of teeth into engagement with the registering mechanism. The selecting element 36, to one side of which the gear 32 is secured, is provided on its opposite side, that is the side which lies against the associated actuating wheel, with a cam 48 which is engaged by a roller 49 on the slide 45.- The cam 48 is provided with a high face 51 and when the roller is in contact with this face, the slide is held in retracted position, and with the low face 52, and when the roller is'in contact with the low face, the slide is in its projected position. To insure the positive sliding movement of the slide, a backing cam 53, complementary to themain cam is arranged opposite the low face 52, thus forming acam groove 54 through which the roller travels as the wheel is rotated, thus insuring the positive sliding motion of the slide in time with the setting of the selecting elements.

Means are provided for indicating the values which have been entered into the machine by the depression of the keys, so that it is not necessary for the operator to search over the keyboard to determine the setting of the machine. Each selecting element is provided with a flanged rim section 56, upon which the numerals from zero to nine are successively delineated and the row of numeralson the successive selecting ele-' ments are visible through a window in the casing of the machine. When a key in a key section is depressed, the numerical value of the key appears in the window in the position occupied by the particular section.

The selecting elements are adjustable to selected positions by depression of the keys but are not rotatable with the actuator and means are provided for locking them against rotation upon the initial movement of the actuator from full cycle position and for preventing the entry of any values into the actuator after it has been moved from full cycle position. Each selecting element is provided with an arcuate rack 61, normally disposed in the position shown in Figure 1 and these racks are engageable by fingers 62, to prevent movement of the selecting elements when the actuator is out of full cycle position. The fingers are mounted on a transverse shaft 63 and are connected together to lock or release all of the selecting elements simultaneously. Secured to the sleeve to which all of the fingers 62 are secured, is an arm 64 having a rounded end engaging the cam 65 secured to the actuator shaft. The cam is provided with a notch 66 which registers with the end of the arm when the actuator is in full cycle position and, when the actuator is in this position, the end of the arm moves into the notch, permitting the fingers to fall by gravity from engagement with the racks 61. Upon the initial movement of the actuator from full cycle position, in either direction, the cam 65 causes the arm 64 to be rocked, raising the fingers into engagement with the rack and holding them in such position during the time that the handle is out of initial position. The values entered into the machine by the depression of the keys can therefore not be altered after the actuator has moved from full cycle position.

The calculating machine may be employed to perform problems in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, a step in any operation being performed by a rotation of the actuator. Means are provided for setting the mechanism to automatically clear the keyboard after each rotation of the handle, and clear the actuator after each rotation of the handle when performing problems in addition or subtraction and for causing the values entered on the keyboard to remain unalterable in the actuator during successive rotations of the actuator, when performing the operations of multiplication and division. Secured to one of the fingers 62 is an arm 66 which, when the fingers are disengaged from the racks, lies at the side of the disc 67 secured to the spring pressed rod 68 which extends into the hollow boss 43, in opposition to the spring pressed pin 42. When the operations of multiplication or division are to be performed, the rod 68 is free to move further into the boss 43 when the. arm 66 is moved from in front of the disc 67. Upon initial movement of the handle, the fingers 62 and consequently the arm 66' is rocked, locking the selecting element and raising the arm 66 from alongside the disc 67 so that the rod 68 is free to move. The rod moves sufliciently to place the disc under the end of the arm 66 thus preventing the arm from returning, and holding the fingers in engagement with the racks. The handle may then be given any desired number of revolutions without releasing the fingers from the racks. This release is accomplished by positioning the handle in its initial position and permitting the pin 42 to enter the hollow boss 43, pushing back the rod 68 and moving the disc 67 from under the arm 66, permitting the fingers to fall from engagement with the racks by gravity. During the operations of multiplication and division, the keyboard is not automatically cleared when the handle is latchedin its full cycle position but is cleared by the use of a clearance key which is fully described in my copending application above referred to.

Means are also provided for releasing the selecting element on the actuator as the handle ap proaches its full cycle position after a revolution and this is accomplished by rendering inoperative the means employed in multiplication operation for holding the selecting elements locked in adjusted position until the handle pin is seated in the hollow boss. As has been set forth hereinbefore, each selectingelement is provided with an arcuate rack 61 which, after the handle is moved from full cycle position, is engaged by a finger 62 to prevent movement of the selecting element. The plurality of fingers 62 are moved into engagement with the racks by the cam 65 secured to the actuator shaft and cooperating With an arm 64. After the fingers have been raised into engagement with the racks, they are held in such engagement (until the handle pin is reseated in the hollow boss) by the disc 67 on the longitudinally movable rod 68 preventing movement of the arm 66. When the machine is set to perform operations of addition and subtraction, the rod 68 is held against longitudinal movement, so that the disc 67 cannot move under the arm 66. This permits the cam 65 to solely control the movement of the'flngers 62, so that at the end of each rotation of the actuator, the fingers are withdrawn and the selecting elements released. The rod 68 is held against longitudinal movement by the angular stop 168, pivoted to the shaft 25 and engaged by the rear end of the lever 165, movement of which is controlled by the key 152. This key 152 which is marked i when depressed, sets the machine :for operation of addition and subtraction. The release of the depressed key 152 is controlled by another key 153 marked f, depression of which releases key 152 and restores the machine to condition for operations of multiplication and division. When the key 152 is depressed the lever 165 is rocked, moving the stop 168 into engagement with an enlargement 169 on the rod 68, thus preventing the rod from moving when the handle pin is withdrawn and consequently preventing the disc 6'7 from becoming effective to lock the fingers 62 in position. Depression of the key 153 releases the key 152 by moving the spring pressed slide 159, moving it out of engagement with the projection 161 on the shank of the key 152 permitting the key 152 to rise, restoring the lever 165 and the stop 168 to their normal operative positions for setting the machine for performing problems of multiplication and division.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotatable element, a driving shaft for rotating said element, a toothed member carried by the rotatable element and movable with respect thereto during rotation thereof to actuate said registering mechanism, angularly adjustable means for controlling the relative movement of said toothed member, devices for positioning said means in various adjusted positions, a rack on said angularly adjustable means, and means normally out of engagement with the rack and operated by the angular movement of the driving shaft for engaging the rack to prevent rotation of said means.

2. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotatable element, a toothed member carried by the rotatable element and movable with respect thereto during rotation thereof to actuate said registering mechanism, angularly adjustable means for controlling the relative movement of said toothed member, devices for positioning said means in various angularly adjusted positions, a rack on said angularly adjustable means, holding means normally out of engagement with said rack, a cam rotatable with said rotatable element and means engaging said cam arranged to move said holding means into engagement with said rack on rotation of said element from full cycle position.

3'. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotatable element, a crank for rotating said element movable from an initial position through a circle and back to said initial position, a toothed member carried by the rotatable element and movable with respect thereto during rotation thereof to actuate said registering mechanism, means for controlling the relative movement of said toothed member, devices for positioning said means in various angularly adjusted positions, a rack on said means, a locking device normally out of engagement with said rack, a cam rotatable with said rotatable element u and a lever cooperating with said cam and connected to said locking device and adapted to be moved by said cam to move the locking device into engagement with said rack upon movement of the crank from its initial position.

In a calculating machine, a rotary reversible actuator having a single full cycle position, said actuator including adjustable differential elements, means for moving said elements to adjusted positions, means operative by movement of the actuator from full cycle position to lock the adjusted elements against rotation with the actuator, means for latching the actuator in full cycle position, means for rotating the actuator and means operated by the relatching of the actuator in full cycle position for unlocking the adjusted elements.

5. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a registering mechanism actuator including a plurality of adjustable value selecting elements, racks on said value selecting elements, a cam movable with said actuator, means engaging the cam arranged to be moved on movement of the actuator, and a plurality of pawls connected to said means and arranged to be moved thereby into engagement with said racks:

6. In a calculating machine, cyclically operable actuating mechanism, differentially settable controlling means therefor, means for latching said actuating mechanism in full cycle position, means operable upon operation of said actuating mechanismfor locking said controlling means, means for latching said locking means in active position, and means effective upon latching said actuator in full cycle position for releasing said lock latch.

7. In a mechanism of the class described, driving means, a control element for initiating operation thereof, a member displaceable by said driving means upon cyclic movement thereof, and means controlled by said control element for latching said member in its displaced position to prevent oscillation thereof during successive cycles of movement of said driving means.

8. In a machine of the class described having driving mechanism, means for preventing operation of the machine by said mechanism, and a control element for said means; the combination of a member adapted to be displaced by said driving mechanism during the operation of the machine thereby, means for latching said member in such displaced position, and selectively operable means controlled by said control element and operable in terminating operation of the machine by said driving mechanism for unlatching said member.

9. In a machine of the class described having driving mechanism, means for preventing operation of the machine by said mechanism, and a control element for said means; the combination of a shiftable member, means for effecting displacement of said member by said driving means, means for latching said member in such displaced position, and selectively operable means controlled by said control element for unlatching said member.

10. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotary actuator therefor, selecting mechanism, means for locking said selecting mechanism in a set position, means for positively moving said locking means during each actuation of said registering mechanism by said actuator, and means for superseding operation of said moving means, after moving said locking means to lock said selecting mechanism, during multicycle operation.

11. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotary actuator therefor, selecting mechanism, means for locking said selecting mechanism in a set position, means driven in time with said actuator for moving said locking means to lock said selecting mechanism, means for superseding operation of said moving means during multicyclic operation, and mechanism for concurrently disabling said preventing means and locking said actuator.

12. In a calculating machine, a registering mechanism, a rotary actuator therefor, selecting mechanism, means for locking said selecting mechanism in a set position, means driven in time with said actuator for moving said locking means,

means for retaining said selecting mechanism ment thereof following movement of said settable mechanism to determine a multicyclic operation.

CARL M. F. FRIDEN. 

